Leather and fabric coating machine



May 8, 1928. 1,668,786

, c. B. SPALSB'URY LEATHER AND FABRIC COATING MACHINE F" May 9 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 May s, 1928. 1,668,786

C. B. SPALSBURY LEATHER AND FABRIC COATING MACHINE Filed 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 8, 1928. 1,668,786

c. B. SPALSBURY LEATHER AND FABRIC COATING MACHINE May s, 1928. 1,668,786

C. B. SPALSBURY LEATHER AND FABRIC COATING MACHINE Filed May 9. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 8, 1928. v

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES SPALSBURY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO JOHNSON, S'IEPHENS AND SHINKLE SHOE COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OI .IISSOUBI.

LEATHER AND FABRIO COATING MACHINE.

Application filed May 9, 1924. Serial No. 712,052.

'This invention relates to leather and fabric Fig. 9 is an elevation of the .same parts coating machines, and consists in the novel illustrated in Fig. 8 taken at right angles construction hereinafter disclosed. to the illustration in Fig. 8. 55 In the art of making shoes it has been the Fig. is a vertical section on the line ractice heretofore in making shoes with a, 1010 of Fig. 9. inding, wherein a strip of material is at- Fig. 11 is a cross section taken on the line tached to the upper edge of the uppers of 11-11 of Fig. 9."

shoes, 'to apply to the binding material by Fig. 12 is a detailed view of the rewinding 60 hand a coating of adhesive after the same mechanism block.

H) has been stitched to the margin of the up- Fig. 13 is a detailed view of the roll suppers. This operation requires considerable port used in the feeding operation of the time and skill in order to prevent the a'olmachine. hesive from overrunning the edge of the tape Fig. 14 is a further detail of the structure 5 F and defacing the shoe upper. illustrated in Fig. 13.

A main purpose of the present invention Figs. and 16 are views showing means is to provide a machine whereby a coating for reducing extent of lateralmovement of of adhesive substance may be applied to one the drum at each revolution of the drum, surface of the binding material before the for purposes hereinafter disclosed. (0 binding material is attached to the article In the embodiment of the invention illusto which it is to be attached; and the adtrated in the drawing the frame members hesive substance dried preparatory for util- 1 support a table 2. Journaled within the izing the binding material on the articles to members below the table is a main shaft 3 which it is to be lied, that may be driven by any suitable power 7 While this purpose is a primary purpose device such. for instanc as a motor 4, a

of the invention it will be realized that it pulley 5,0n the motor shaft, a pulley 6 on the may be used wherever it is desired to apply the main shaft 3, and a belt 7 engaging said .an adhesive or other substance to the ma pu ys.

terial for other uses. With the general ob- Above and near the front edge o the table so ject of providing an effici nt a hine for a fixture for supporting the roll of material accomplishing the purposes above set out, to be d to h ng mechanism i P- I have produ d a ha i bodying ported. This'fixture comprises a standard the normal association and design of parts 8 having a lOWGI pedestal 9 attached to the hereinafter fully disclosed, reference bein table top. Near the upper part of the stand- 5 made to the accompanying drawings, in ard 8 anarm 10 carries at its outer extremhi h; ity a spindle 11 upon whichthe spool of the Fig, 1 is a plan view of th hin material roll 12 is mounted. The. arm 10 Fig. 2 is a front elevation. supports a disc 13 againstwhich the ma- Fi 3 i a d l ti n, terlal roll is disposed when the same is Fig. 4 is a detailed view of the means for lo nled n the spindle 11, said disc conattaching the end of the strip of material to -utmg 3 gu d nd fric ion member to the drum. prevent the material from unwinding too Fig. 5 is an end view of a portion of adfas nd o prevent back-lash. hesive containervshowing the adhesive ap- The standard 8- extends upwardly from plicator mechanism. the arm 10 and has attached thereto a T-fit- 45 Fig. 6 is a view partally in section fur- .ting 14. Extending through the T -fittin the! illustrating the adhesive applicator and projecting laterally from thestandar mechanism. 8 1s a rod 15 held in proper position in the Fig. 7 is a plan view of'a piece of material -fitting by a set screw 16. A lever 17 has 10 illustrating the manner in which the ad a hub member 18 mov able on the rod 15. hesive may be app-lied. The lever 17 carries a part 19 having an Fig.8 is an elevationof portion of the opening through which the end of the spinrewinding mechanism, 1 dle 11 projects when said parts are placed in en agement. The part 19 extends above and be ow the spindle and presses against the outer face of the material roll when the roll is mounted on thespindle and the part 19 is engaged with the spindle 11. The lever '17 is actuated to press the part 19 into contact with the material roll by an expansion spring 20 encircling the rod 15 and having one end connected to the lever 17 and the other end-attached to a nut 21 screwed on the end of the rod 15. The part 19 is an equalizer and because of its relationship to its associated parts creates a uniform pressure against the roll of material 12; and such pressure may be varied by moving the nut 21 axially. The spring 20 will also cause the lever 17 to move automatically to a horizontal position when the part 19 is disengaged from the spindle 11. This facilitates changing the spools of material.-

The coating mechanism includes a pedestal 22 attached to the table 2, and supporting a feeding head 23. Within the head 23 is a shaft 24 on which is mounted a feeding wheel 25. The feed wheel 25 has'a toothed periphery and receives adhesive from the adhesive pot 26 of familiar construction. Passage of adhesive from the pot 26 is controlled by the usual valve which valve is controlled by a lever 27. The pot 26 is held in connection with the feeding head by releasable clamps 28. The feed wheel 25 is opera- -tively supported between two plates 29 and 30 having the flanges 31 and 32 at'their lower edges. supported by said flanges 31 and 32 and are capable of various adjustments. They may be adjusted in positions irf which the space between the plates'33 and 34 is wider than the space through which the feed wheel 25 operates, so that theadhesive may be applied only along the central portion of the strip of material, as shown in Fig. 7. But the plates 33 and 34 may be adjusted so that the adhesive may be applied entirely across the strip of material or along either or both marginal edges, as desired. Said plates may also beadjusted to accommodate strips of material of different widths.

The outlet opening from the adhesive pot is just above the periphery of the wheel 25, and the adhesive passes to the toothed surface of the wheel. In order to prevent adhesive from coming into contact with the side of the wheel and to confine its movement to the periphery of the wheel a plate 35 is mounted at each side of the wheel; The plate 30 is movable so that it may be pressed against the adjacent late 35 to bring the plates 35 and the whee '25 into close contact. A plate 36 is fastened to the plate 30. An

7 adjustin screw 37 screws through the plate 36 and ears against the face of the plate 30, thereby pressing the two plates 35 firmly against the sides of the wheel 25. After the Guide plates 33 and 34 are adj ustably adjustment has been made, the screw 37 Said belt drives the shaft 23 through a pul-v ley 42 and a gear and pinion connection 42.

A shaft 41 is driven bya reverse drive mechanism frolnthe main shaft 3, said reverse drive mechanism comprising a pair of loose pulleys 43, one at each side of a pulley 44 fast on the shaft 41. A belt 45 'drivenby a iulley 46 fast on the shaft 3 operates for irect drive of the shaft 41, and a similar pulley 47 fast on the shaft 3 operates for a reverse drive of the shaft 41 from the shaft 1 3 by means of a twisted belt 48. It will 'be understood that the belts 45 and 48 are shiftable to and from engagement with the pulley 44 by a belt shifter, comprising a sliding bar 49 provided with arms50. A shift lever 51 for said bar is pivoted at 52 on a bracket 53 and has a bifurcated extremity 54 (Figs.

2 and 3) engaging a pin 55 on the bar 49. The-lever 51 is manually operable by a hand lever 56 and is also automatically operable through mechanism hereinafter described.

In order to 'dry the adhesive after it has been applied to the material by means of the adhesive applying mechanism hereinbefore' described, there is provided a drum 57 mounted on a worm shaft 58supported by brackets 59. The drum has a central threaded bearing engaging the worm shaft 58 so that as the drum is rotated it will move'along the shaft 58 and wind the material on the drum in a spiral form. In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings the drum is illus trated in its initial position ready for the attachment of the material thereto. The

strip ofmaterial 16 is drawn through the adheslve applicator and is attached to the periphery of the drum at a point visible to and within reach of the operator and in a straight line-from the adhesive applicator. The device for attaching the end of the material to the drum comprises a series of pins 62 projecting from a plate 60 secured to the dru1n, the pins being between side flanges 61 which protect the fingers of the operator when engaging the material with the .pins. A relatively wide pulley 63 on.

the, shaft 41 and-an extension 64 of the drum 57 are engaged by a belt 65'which slides alon the pulley 63 as the drum is rotated an moves 'axiall Starting from the position illustrated in Fig. 2 after the end of the stri of material has been attached to the rum, the drum is rotated and, since it is mounted on Ill the worm'shaft 58, it moves along the shaft 58 as it rotates thereby winding the strip of material in a spiral around the drum with the coated surface of the material facing outwardly.

The drum 57 is of uniform diameter and draws the material through the coating device at uniform speed so that the adhesive is placed on the material uniformly from end to end. If the machine is to be used for applying adhesive to a strand of mate rial of one width only, the shaft 58 is prevented from turning and has threads of the same or slightly greater pitch than the width of the strip. The machine may be operated to apply adhesive to strips of material of different widths. In order to reduce the lateral movement of the drum when adhesive is being applied to a strip of material of narrower width the worm shaft 58 may be rotated in its bearings in the same direction as the drum. This may be accomplished by a speed changing unit comprising gears 58 of different diameters arranged in such a way that any one of them may be made to mesh with a gear 58 attached to the worm shaft 58. The speed changing device may be operated from the shaft 41 by a chain connection 58. Thus, extent of lateral movement of the drum at each revolution may be varied according to the width of the strip of material to be coated.

A drum ofgreater or less diameter may be of the material to be coated and wound on the drum. This variation in the diameter of the drum used may conform to the variation in the width of the coating surfaceof the feeding wheels as previously extplained.

The drying mechanism shown includes a shaft 66 having fan blades 67 mounted thereon. The shaft 66 is journaled for rotation in brackets 68 under the table 2. There is an opening 69in the table 2 over which the drum 57 moves as it rotates. The opening 69 is protected by a guard 70. The fan shaft 66is driven directly from the main shaft 3 by a belt 71 operating over a pulley 72 on the shaft 3 and a pulley 73 on the end of the fan shaft 66. As the drum moves above the opening 69 a drying current of air will be driven against the outer coated surface of the material wound on-the drum. In the winding operation the drum is driven from the main shaft 3 by the pulley 47.

After the machine is set up, as shown particularly in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, its operation is started by manual operation of the hand lever 56 shifting the belt 48 to engagement with the pulley 44. This rotates the drum and moves the drum across the machine in one direction. In order to stop the drum automatically there is provided an automatic stop device comprising a shiftable rod used, according to the width and length 74 supported by brackets 75 011 the table 2.

.Near one end of the rod 74 is a collar 76 ment 78 so that when the drum completes its endwise movementin each direction the respective cam plate 78 engages the collar 76 or 77, as the case may be, thereby shifting the rod 74 to throw the belt shifting device, the lever 51 of which is operatively connected with said rod 74 by a yoke 79 on the end of the lever 51 operating between collars 80 on said rod 74. In order to prevent the drum 57 from overrunning after the belt shifting mechanism has operated an abutment member 81 is attached to each end of the drum for contact with springs 82 located so that after the belt shifting mechanism has operated an abutment device 81 will contact with the end of the cooperating spring 82, thereby stopping operation of the drum. The end of the strip of material is then engaged with a spring '73 encircling the drum. The belt 45 is then shifted to the pulley 44 with the result that the drum'57 is reversely rotated and moved along the shaft 58 to its starting position where it is stopped with the material engaging pins 62 in a straight line from the rewinding' device.

The fan is within a housing 84 so that the current of air will be directed through the opening 69 to dry the adhesive, as described.

The rewinding fixture comprises spaced side frames 85 attached to the upper side of the table 2; Each frame 85 has a vertical slot 86 (Figs. 8 and 10) extendin downwardly from the upper end of the frame to receive the spindle for the spool on which the strip of material is rewound after the adhesive has been applied to the material and dried. The spindle comprises 'a pair of members 87 and 88 (Figs. 10 and 11) designed and adapted to retain a spool 89 between the frames 85. Below the lower ends of the slots 86 are a pair of spaced channeled rollers 90 over which a belt 91 operates. The rollers 90 are spaced so that immediately below the base of the slots 96 there is a straight stretch of the belt 91 that acts as a frictional drive in the rewinding of the coated material. The end of the material is caught on the spool 89, and the spool mounted on the spindle. The spindle is then placed in the slots 86 and the spool between the frames 85. Pressure is exerted on the spindle for the spool by means of an actuator comprising a bifurcated block 92, the'arms 93 of which have slots 94 receiving the spindle 87-88,

bringing the surface of the material into con tact with the stretch of the belt 91 below the slots. The belt 91 is driven from the shaft 41 by a pulley 95. During the rewinding operation the speed of rotation of the drum 57 is less than the speed of the movement of lull ' the frictional engagement of the belt with the material being wound on the spool. The weight of the block 92 is sufficient to hold the roll of material in contact with the belt 91, and to hold the length of material taut as it is wound upon the spool.- Additional manual pressure may be exerted on the block to increase the tightness of the wind of the material, if desired.

.A guide roller 96 for the material passing from the drum 57 to the rewinding device is supported by ears 97 on the members 85 (Fig. 9), the strip of material passing from the drum downwardly at an angle under the roller 96 and around the spool 89.

The adjacent walls of the frames 85 are slightly flared so that the strip'of material may pass tothe spool and the roll of material may rotate freely. The side edges of the material on the roll are guided into proper position as the strip of material passes be-- tween the frames 85.

After the drum 57 has be en returned to its starting position the end of the material strip 12 may be disengaged from the pins 62 and connected with the rewinding spool 89. The rewinding spool 89 is then mounted for operation, after which the belt 48 is again shifted into engagement with the pulley 44 to rotate and move the drum 57 along the shaft 58.

From the foregoing itwill be seen that important features of my invention comprise the drum 57 of uniform diameter which draws the strip of material through the coating mechanism, so that the adhesive is placed uniformly from end to end of the strip; that extent of lateral movement of the drum at each complete revolution thereof may be varied according to the width of the material to be coated; that a current of air is thrown against the material during the winding operation of the drum and during return movement of the drum to its starting position, so that the cement is properly dried; and that the operation of all of the mechanisms is timed and co-ordinated to obtain the desired results in a highly eflicient and satisfactory manner.

What I claim and desire to secure by Let- Y, ters Patent is 1. In a machine of the character described the combination of a support for material to be wound, a rotary drum, a shaft supporting and having threaded connection with said drum for moving said drum laterally relative to said support when said drum is rotated, mechanism for rotating said drum and causing said shaft to move said drum laterally as aforesaid to draw the material from said support at uniform speed,

and means for simultaneously rotating said shaft and said drum for varying the extent of lateral movement of the drum on each revolution to wind the material thereon uniformly and to prevent overlapping of the material on the drum. 7

2. Ina machine of the character described a support for material to be wound, a drum, a stationary shaft supporting and having threaded connection with the drum, a device on and near one end of the drum for securing one end of the material in connection with the drum, mechanism for rotating the drum and causing said shaft to move the drum longitudinallyfroni and to its starting position, and means controlled by the drum for stopping operation of the drum by said mechanism when the drum is in position in which the said device is in straight alinement with said support 3. A machine of the character described comprising a rotary drum for winding material, a shaft supporting and having threaded connection with said drum, mechanism for rotating said drum about said shaft, and mechanism for rotating said shaft in the same direction as the drum to vary-the rate of travel of the drum for different widths of material to be wound.

4;. A machine of the character described comprising a rotary drum forwinding material, a shaft supporting and having threaded connection with said drum, mechanism for rotating said drum about said shaft, mechanism for rotating said shaft in the same direction as the drum to vary the rate of travel of the drum for different widths of material to be wound, and means for controlling said last named mechanism to prevent rotation of said shaft.

5. A machine of the character described comprising a support for material to be wound, a rotary drum for winding the material, ashaft supporting and having thread ed connect-ion with the drum, and mechanism for rotating'said drum while said shaft remains stationary or rotating said drum and said shaft simultaneously, as desired.

. 6. A machine of the character described comprising a support for material to be wound, a rotary drum for winding the material, a shaft supporting and having threaded connection with the drum, mechanism for rotating said drum while said shaft remains stationary or rotating said drum and said shaft simultaneously, as desired, and

devices controlled by said drum for stopping tion of said drum by said mechanism, and a stop device for stopping momentum rota tion of said drum after rotation of said drum by said rotating mechanism has been stopped.

8. A machine of the character described comprising a'rotary shaft, a drum mounted on and having threaded connection Wlth' said shaft, mechanism for rotating said drum and said shaft at different relative speedsto cause said threaded connection to effect longitudinal movement of said drum with respect to said shaft, and means for securing a strip of material to said drum. I

9. A machine of the character described comprising a rotary shaft, a drum mounted on and having threaded connection with said shaft, mechanism for rotating said drum and said shaft at different relative speeds tocause said threaded connection to effect longitudinal movement of said drum with respect to said shaft, means for securing a strip of'material to said drum, and devices controlled by said drum to stop rotation of said drum by said mechanism.

10. In a machine of the character described, a rotary drum, a shaft having threaded engagement with, said drum for moving said drum longitudinally when the drum is rotated, a belt having driving engagement with said drum and arranged to move laterally with the drum as the drum moves longitudinally, and mechanism for operating said belt during lateral movement of the belt as aforesaid.

11. In a machine of the character described, a rotary drum, a shaft having threaded engagement with said drum for moving said drum longitudinally when the drum is rotated, a belt having driving engagement with said drum and arranged to move laterally with the drum as the drum moves longitudinally, mechanism for operating said belt during the belt as aforesaid and devices controlled by the drum. for stopping operation of said belt by said mechanism.

12. In a machine of the character scribed, a rotary drum, a shaft having threaded engagement with said drum for moving said drum longitudinally when the drum is rotated, a belt having driving engagement with said drum and arranged to lateral movement of move laterallywith the drum as the drum moves longitudinally, mechanism for operating said belt during lateral movement of the belt as aforesaid, and means for causing said mechanism to rotate said drum in either direction.

13. In a machine of the character described, a rotary drum, a shaft having threaded engagement with said drum for moving said drum drum is rotated, a belt having driving engagement with said drum and arranged to move laterally with the drum as the drum moves longitudinally, mechanism for operating said belt during the belt as aforesaid, the drum for stopping operation of said belt by said mechanism, and means for causing said mechanism to rotate said drum in either direction.

14. A machine ofthe character describe-d comprising a rotary drum, a device for moving the drum laterally when the drum is rotated, a laterally movable driving belt engaging said drum; and bein movable laterally with the drum, and mec anism for operating said belt and causing said belt to rotate said drum and to move laterally with the drum.

15. A machine of the character described comprising a rotary drum, a device for movdevices controlled by ing the drum laterally when the drum is rolaterally movable driving belt entated, a gaging'said drum and being movable laterally with the drum, mechanism for operating said belt and causing said belt to rotate said drum and to move laterally withthe drum, and devices controlled by'the drum for stopping operation ofsaid belt by said mechanism.

16. A machine of the character described comprising a rotary drum, a device for moving the drum laterally when the'drum is rotated, a laterally movable driving belt engaging said drum and being movable laterally with the drum, mechanism for operating said belt and causing said belt to rotate said drum and to move laterally with the drum, devices controlled by the drum for stopping operation of said belt by said mechanism, and means 'for reversing the direction of operation of said belt by said mechanism.

CHARLES B. SPALSBURY.

lateral movement of longitudinally when the 

